So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt;

And they will hearken to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, we pray you, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel.

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Select lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the passover lamb.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which you struck the Nile, and go.

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offered a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him.

The Blood of the Covenant

And he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abi′hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship afar off.

On the Mountain with God

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abi′hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up,

And he said to the elders, “Tarry here for us, until we come to you again; and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a cause, let him go to them.”

and the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull before the Lord, and the bull shall be killed before the Lord.

Aaron’s Priesthood Inaugurated

On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel;

The Seventy Elders

And the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent.

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abi′ram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

And Moab said to the elders of Mid′ian, “This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Mid′ian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message.

And when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die.

then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure the distance to the cities which are around him that is slain;

and the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer which has never been worked and which has not pulled in the yoke.

And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;

then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives,

and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’

then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the tokens of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate;

and the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he spurns her;

and lo, he has made shameful charges against her, saying, “I did not find in your daughter the tokens of virginity.” And yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city.

Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip him;

And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’

then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’

The Inscribed Stones and Altar on Mount Ebal

Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandment which I command you this day.

“You stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel,

The Law to Be Read Every Seventh Year

And Moses wrote this law, and gave it to the priests the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.

Then Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads.

And Joshua arose early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, with the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

And all Israel, sojourner as well as homeborn, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Ger′izim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.

And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; come now, make a covenant with us.”’

He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and explain his case to the elders of that city; then they shall take him into the city, and give him a place, and he shall remain with them.

Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders and heads, their judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years;

The Tribes Renew the Covenant

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.

And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work which the Lord did for Israel.

And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work which the Lord had done for Israel.

And he caught a young man of Succoth, and questioned him; and he wrote down for him the officials and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven men.

And he took the elders of the city and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth.

And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob;

But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?”

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the Ammonites, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.”

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be witness between us; we will surely do as you say.”

So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.

Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here”; so they sat down.

So I thought I would tell you of it, and say, Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

Then Bo′az said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Na′omi all that belonged to Elim′elech and all that belonged to Chil′ion and to Mahlon.

Then all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you prosper in Eph′rathah and be renowned in Bethlehem;

And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”

Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”

Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord”;

And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

And the advice pleased Ab′salom and all the elders of Israel.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abi′athar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahith′ophel counsel Ab′salom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so have I counseled.

And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abi′athar the priests, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?

Dedication of the Temple

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.

And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”

And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not heed or consent.”

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who dwelt with Naboth in his city.

And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did as Jez′ebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters which she had sent to them,

Eli′sha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence; but before the messenger arrived Eli′sha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

Massacre of Ahab’s Descendants

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samar′ia. So Jehu wrote letters, and sent them to Samar′ia, to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying,

So he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city, together with the elders and the guardians, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and we will do all that you bid us. We will not make any one king; do whatever is good in your eyes.”

Josiah’s Reformation

Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of O′bed-e′dom with rejoicing.

And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

The Ark Brought into the Temple

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.

And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.

The Covenant Renewed

Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them till a report should reach Darius and then answer be returned by letter concerning it.

Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus, ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’

let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.

Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God; the cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River.

And the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechari′ah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Ar-ta-xerx′es king of Persia;

and that if any one did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.

Let our officials stand for the whole assembly; let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, till the fierce wrath of our God over this matter be averted from us.”

He deprives of speech those who are trusted, and takes away the discernment of the elders.

to instruct his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.

Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

The Broken Earthenware Jug

Thus said the Lord, “Go, buy a potter’s earthen flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests,

And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying,

Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles in Babylon

These are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnez′zar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

“I called to my lovers but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city, while they sought food to revive their strength.

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have cast dust on their heads and put on sackcloth; the maidens of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

The Lord himself has scattered them, he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.

Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.

Disaster comes upon disaster, rumor follows rumor; they seek a vision from the prophet, but the law perishes from the priest, and counsel from the elders.

Abominations in the Temple

In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.

And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Ja-azani′ah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, every man in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’”

slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.

God’s Judgments Justified

Then came certain of the elders of Israel to me, and sat before me.

Israel’s Continuing Rebellion

In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you, to barter for your wares.

Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God; and cry to the Lord.

gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.

The Tradition of the Elders

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

“Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Ca′iaphas,

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

Jesus before the High Priest

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Ca′iaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.

Jesus Brought before Pilate

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death;

The Suicide of Judas

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people to ask for Barab′bas and destroy Jesus.

So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,

And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers

The Tradition of the Elders

Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,

(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;

And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Jesus’ Authority Is Questioned

And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

Jesus before the Council

And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled.

Jesus before Pilate

And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate.

When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave.

saying, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up

Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?

Jesus before the Council

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said,

On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem,

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,

The Believers Pray for Boldness

When they were released they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,

and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.

And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsab′bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

with the following letter: “The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cili′cia, greeting.

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

And from Mile′tus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.

On the following day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

And they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.

Paul before Felix at Caesarea

And after five days the high priest Anani′as came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertul′lus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul;

and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews gave information about him, asking for sentence against him.

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching;

Titus in Crete

This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you,

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

Tending the Flock of God

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed.

Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads.

the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,

Then one of the elders said to me, “Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth;

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints;

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?”

And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,

and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”

They called together all the elders of the city, and all their young men and their women ran to the assembly; and they set Ach′ior in the midst of all their people, and Uzzi′ah asked him what had happened.

And Uzzi′ah took him from the assembly to his own house and gave a banquet for the elders; and all that night they called on the God of Israel for help.

Then all the people, the young men, the women, and the children, gathered about Uzzi′ah and the rulers of the city and cried out with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,

Judith and the Elders

When Judith heard the wicked words spoken by the people against the ruler, because they were faint for lack of water, and when she heard all that Uzzi′ah said to them, and how he promised them under oath to surrender the city to the Assyrians after five days,

she sent her maid, who was in charge of all she possessed, to summon Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

Then they went out to the city gate of Bethu′lia, and found Uzzi′ah standing there with the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis.

When the men of her city heard her voice, they hurried down to the city gate and called together the elders of the city.

Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young.

Stand in the assembly of the elders. Who is wise? Cleave to him.

Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders, nor repeat yourself in your prayer.

and in the hearing of the mighty men and the princes, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, small and great, all who dwelt in Babylon by the river Sud.

Susanna’s Beauty Attracts Two Elders

There was a man living in Babylon whose name was Jo′akim.

In that year two elders from the people were appointed as judges. Concerning them the Lord had said: “Iniquity came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.”

The two elders used to see her every day, going in and walking about, and they began to desire her.

The Elders Attempt to Seduce Susanna

Once, while they were watching for an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and wished to bathe in the garden, for it was very hot.

And no one was there except the two elders, who had hid themselves and were watching her.

They did as she said, shut the garden doors, and went out by the side doors to bring what they had been commanded; and they did not see the elders, because they were hidden.

When the maids had gone out, the two elders rose and ran to her, and said:

Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and the two elders shouted against her.

And when the elders told their tale, the servants were greatly ashamed, for nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

The Elders Testify against Susanna

The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Jo′akim, the two elders came, full of their wicked plot to have Susanna put to death.

Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.

The elders said, “As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids.

The assembly believed them, because they were elders of the people and judges; and they condemned her to death.

Then all the people returned in haste. And the elders said to him, “Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you that right.”

And they rose against the two elders, for out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness;

rulers and elders groaned, maidens and young men became faint, the beauty of the women faded.

Nicanor Threatens the Temple

After these events Nica′nor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests came out of the sanctuary, and some of the elders of the people, to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt offering that was being offered for the king.

When Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the siege; and he chose some of the elders of Israel and some of the priests, and put himself in danger,

When Jonathan returned he convened the elders of the people and planned with them to build strongholds in Judea,

“King Deme′trius to Simon, the high priest and friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greeting.

This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: “The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting.

in As′aramel, in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was proclaimed to us:

After consulting privately with the elders, he determined to march out and decide the matter by the help of God before the king’s army could enter Judea and get possession of the city.

Razis Dies for His Country

A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nica′nor as a man who loved his fellow citizens and was very well thought of and for his good will was called father of the Jews.

Yet the elders of the Jews were dealt with kindly, for the providence of the Lord was over the captives;

“To King Darius, greeting. Let it be fully known to our lord the king that, when we went to the country of Judea and entered the city of Jerusalem, we found the elders of the Jews, who had been in captivity,

Then we asked these elders, ‘At whose command are you building this house and laying the foundations of this structure?’

So Darius commanded Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenic′ia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their associates, and those who were appointed as local rulers in Syria and Phoenic′ia, to keep away from the place, and to permit Zerub′babel, the servant of the Lord and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews to build this house of the Lord on its site.

supervised the holy work with very great care, assisting the elders of the Jews and the chief officers of the temple.

and that if any did not meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, their cattle should be seized for sacrifice and the men themselves expelled from the multitude of those who had returned from the captivity.

with the elders and judges of each place, until we are freed from the wrath of the Lord over this matter.”

Philopator Attempts to Enter the Temple

Since the Jews had sent some of their council and elders to greet him, to bring him gifts of welcome, and to congratulate him on what had happened, he was all the more eager to visit them as soon as possible.

They shouted to their fellows to take arms and die courageously for the ancestral law, and created a considerable disturbance in the holy place; and being barely restrained by the old men and the elders, they resorted to the same posture of supplication as the others.

while the elders near the king tried in various ways to change his arrogant mind from the plan that he had conceived.

The Prayer of Eleazar

Then a certain Elea′zar, famous among the priests of the country, who had attained a ripe old age and throughout his life had been adorned with every virtue, directed the elders around him to cease calling upon the holy God and prayed as follows: